About Us
Our Mission
The Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus (GKCWPC), and affiliate of the
National Women's Political Caucus, is a multipartisan, multicultural, grass roots
organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in politics and creating
a power base designed to achieve equality for all women.
What We Do:
Our Structure:
GKC/WPC consists of two separate organizations:
The Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus (GKCWPC), and affiliate of the
National Women's Political Caucus, is a multipartisan, multicultural, grass roots
organization dedicated to increasing women's participation in politics and creating
a power base designed to achieve equality for all women.
What We Do:
- Get women elected and appointed to public office.
- Screen, endorse and provide financial support to state and local candidates.
- Train potential candidates and campaign volunteers.
- Recruit volunteers to go door-to-door, do mailings, phoning for individual
candidates. - Hold educational forums on WPC legislative issues.
- Provide educational programs on getting involved in the political process.
- Lobby cooperatively with other organizations in Jefferson City and
Topeka.
Our Structure:
GKC/WPC consists of two separate organizations:
- Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus (C-4) is the membership
organization. Dues are not tax-deductible and include State & National
Caucus dues. Click here to join - GKC/WPC Endowment and Education Fund (EEF) (C-3). Donations to the
Endowment are tax-deductible.
| GKC/WPC, founded in 1972, is the only women-run political organization in Greater Kansas City. The organization is affiliated with the National Women's Political Caucus in Washington, D.C. and is a descendant of groups who worked to gain women the right to vote. |
A tribute to caucus founder, Doris Quinn by Rosemary Smithson
It is with much sadness that I write this tribute to a long-time friend and activist,
Doris Quinn, who died on May 22, 2003, at the age of 79. Doris was a nationally
known leader in the second wave of the women's movement. As an industrial
editor she was a member of Women In Communications and attended the group's
national convention in 1971. At the meeting she was inspired by a speech given
by Congresswoman Martha Griffiths who announced that a National Women's
Political Caucus was being formed in Washington.
Doris came back home and with her buddy Norma Storms, and convened the first
Missouri state caucus meeting in February 1972. Shortly after, she launched the
GKC Caucus at a meeting at UMKC and served as its first president. Doris herself
ran for political office and in 1974 joined the three "D's" (Doris Quinn, Della
Hadley and Dottie Doll) and took Jefferson City by storm. Doris instilled the
Caucus with the spirit of women helping women. It was her heart cause and she
was the soul of the organization. Doris personally helped hundreds of women
reach their goals. It is clear that one of the reasons the GKC Caucus is alive and
well 31 years later is that its founder was a woman of incredible integrity and
unique people skills. Beneath that halo of white curls and behind those innocent
brown eyes was the spirit of a first-class troublemaker.
Doris and I always joked that we should turn our passing into a fund raising
opportunity. So her friends, Carol Bates and Biddy Hurlbut have done just that.
They have started a Doris Quinn Tribute Fund for the WPC Endowment. Please
pledge in Doris' honor and help keep her passion for women's political equality
well-funded!
It is with much sadness that I write this tribute to a long-time friend and activist,
Doris Quinn, who died on May 22, 2003, at the age of 79. Doris was a nationally
known leader in the second wave of the women's movement. As an industrial
editor she was a member of Women In Communications and attended the group's
national convention in 1971. At the meeting she was inspired by a speech given
by Congresswoman Martha Griffiths who announced that a National Women's
Political Caucus was being formed in Washington.
Doris came back home and with her buddy Norma Storms, and convened the first
Missouri state caucus meeting in February 1972. Shortly after, she launched the
GKC Caucus at a meeting at UMKC and served as its first president. Doris herself
ran for political office and in 1974 joined the three "D's" (Doris Quinn, Della
Hadley and Dottie Doll) and took Jefferson City by storm. Doris instilled the
Caucus with the spirit of women helping women. It was her heart cause and she
was the soul of the organization. Doris personally helped hundreds of women
reach their goals. It is clear that one of the reasons the GKC Caucus is alive and
well 31 years later is that its founder was a woman of incredible integrity and
unique people skills. Beneath that halo of white curls and behind those innocent
brown eyes was the spirit of a first-class troublemaker.
Doris and I always joked that we should turn our passing into a fund raising
opportunity. So her friends, Carol Bates and Biddy Hurlbut have done just that.
They have started a Doris Quinn Tribute Fund for the WPC Endowment. Please
pledge in Doris' honor and help keep her passion for women's political equality
well-funded!
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| All Rights Reserved |
INTRODUCING THE NEW PRESIDENT:
Rose Marie Bell, MA
I would like take this opportunity to thank the members of the Greater Kansas City/Women’s
Political Caucus for the opportunity to serve as your President. The continuing activities of the
Caucus are vitally important in the recruitment, training and support of qualified/dedicated
women politicians who can serve as our voices on the issues facing our communities and
country.
Rose Marie Bell, MA
I would like take this opportunity to thank the members of the Greater Kansas City/Women’s
Political Caucus for the opportunity to serve as your President. The continuing activities of the
Caucus are vitally important in the recruitment, training and support of qualified/dedicated
women politicians who can serve as our voices on the issues facing our communities and
country.
As a Vietnam Era Veteran (Women’s Army Corps) and Army Reserve retiree, I have extensive leadership and
professional development expertise and greatly value team work. The military also provided me with the
means to enhance my academic and career choices – earning Administration of Justice B.A. and Higher
Education Administration M.A. degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. My passion for
education and service resulted in 32 years at UMKC in various administrative, academic and instructional
positions. Although I will be retiring as a Senior Academic Advisor in February 2011, retirement is only the
next step in my “life journey” which will allow me to devote more time and energy to my community.
A life-long resident of Kansas City, I was taught by example the value of community service – I have often
joked that volunteerism is part of my “DNA”. My professional and civic activities have included: KCMO
Public Library Board of Trustees (Current); NAACP (Current); KCMO School District Strategic Planning
Committee; KCMO/ATA Light Rail Citizens Task Force; KCMO Prospect Corridor Initiative Advisory
Board of Directors; Prospect Corridor Browns Field Team and Social Service Provider Planning Committee
(KCMO Department of City Planning and Development); KCMO Property Maintenance Appeal Board;
President and Vice President for Programs and Professional Development, Missouri Academic Advisor
Association; UMKC Chancellor’s Extended Cabinet; and the UMKC Staff Assembly Governing Board.
My first involvement in “elective” politics began when I served on Troy Nash’s 3rd District City Council
Campaign Committee. I joined the Women’s Political Caucus in 2005 and enjoyed working on several Torch
Dinner Committees. In 2008, I vigorously worked on (then Senator) Obama’s presidential campaign and
served as a delegate to the Missouri Democratic Convention. In 2009, I attended a School Board Election
Workshop that gave me the “courage” to run as a 2010 At-Large candidate for the Kansas City Missouri
School District Board of Directors. Although I didn’t win (2 seats/3rd place out of 6 candidates), my
campaign was a success because of the valuable political knowledge and experiences I gained.
I look forward to working with the diverse and dynamic group of women in the Caucus and look forward to
achieving our goal of 50/50 political representation by 2020!
Rose Marie Bell,
President, Greater Kansas City/Women Political Caucus
